Search and rescue underway for Marine aircraft in ‘mishap’ near Japan

A search and rescue operation is underway near Japan after two Marine aircraft were involved in a “mishap” off Japan’s coast.

The Marine Corps tweeted Wednesday that the aircraft involved in the incident were a KC-130 tanker aircraft and a F/A-18 Hornet jet.

“Search and rescue operations continue for a KC-130 and an F/A-18 that were involved in a mishap off of the coast of Japan around 2:00 a.m. Dec. 6,” the Marines’ official Twitter account wrote.

“The circumstances of the mishap are currently under investigation.”

The Marine Corps said in a statement later Wednesday that six U.S. Marines were still missing while one had been recovered and flown to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, where they were receiving medical treatment.

In a previous news release, the Marine Corps stated that a “mishap” occurred off Japan’s coast involving the two aircraft around 2 a.m. local time on Dec. 6.

“The aircraft involved in the mishap had launched from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and were conducting regularly scheduled training when the mishap occurred,” read a news release obtained by the U.S. Naval Institute.

Japanese authorities were aiding in the rescue mission, but no information on the other six Marines was immediately available.

This article was updated at 12:00 a.m.